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Cooperation gives Columbia Future Road Improvements

The new crosswalk at Old 63 and Walnut, connecting Stephens Lake Park to Benton-Stephens. The high-tech crosswalk and two blocks of extra-wide sidewalks cost $247,786.
Jacob Fenston
/
KBIA
The new crosswalk at Old 63 and Walnut, connecting Stephens Lake Park to Benton-Stephens. The high-tech crosswalk and two blocks of extra-wide sidewalks cost $247,786.

A cost share project between the City of Columbia and the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission has been finalized.

The $1.2 million project will be split 50/50 between the two sides. Enhancements such as crosswalks, pedestrian push buttons and dual left turn lanes will be added to the intersection of Stadium Boulevard and Old Highway 63.

The city will fund the project using the .25% Capitol Improvement Sales Tax increase that was approved by voters in 2005.

Boone County Area Engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation, Mike Schupp explained how this agreement was made

“So the city came to us and said look, we’ll put half the money towards this project to make improvements at Old 63, which belongs to the city and Stadium Blvd., which belongs to MoDOT so we’ll cost share it and get this project done which will benefit both of us,” Schupp said.

City of Columbia Engineering Specialist, Sam Budzyna is one of the people in charge of the upcoming project. He said the city anticipates a lot of changes to the intersection and traffic will be affected.

“We’re re-doing a lot of the geometry so there’s going to be a lot of lane closures. There should never be a complete closure so people will still be able to get through no matter where they are going,” Budzyna said.

The project is expected to start early in the summer of 2016, but an official start date, along with other details such as which lanes will be opened and closed, have yet to be decided.